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The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) has been selected for the fifth time to receive funding under the U.S. Department of Education’s Teaching American History grant program. 

The $1 million grant supports professional development programs for teachers to obtain the knowledge and skills to teach American history in exciting new ways by enhancing the study of history through the integration of the arts and sciences.  The grant period will last from October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2010. 

The local project, called America: The Experiment – The Experience – The Echo, focuses on teachers of American history at grades three through eight.

Throughout the grant period, teachers will read scholarly historical texts of major events, periods, and ideas in American history, engage in ideas with professional historians, travel to historic sites and learn from a history content coach.  This newly acquired knowledge will enable SCCPSS teachers to deliver better American history instruction, resulting in improved student achievement.  

The following high quality professional development programs will be conducted:

§         History Illuminaria Roundtable Series, with teacher and historian interaction on American history topics;

§         Summer travel institutes to historic sites and museums;

§         Annual public keynote address from a nationally recognized historian;

§         History content coach for teacher support;

§         On-line technology that enhances all events and program content; and

§         History in a Box traveling trunk program.

Teacher workshops will take place at Massie Heritage Center, a teaching museum for history and architecture that’s operated by the SCCPSS.  The Teaching American History (TAH) grant office is also located at Massie.  For more information, contact Candy Lowe, SCCPSS’ Director of Social Studies at 201-5226 or Leah Colby, TAH Grant Projects Director at 651-2039.